Life After Death
by Draco is totally awesome
Summary: Ponyboy's life after his best friend, Johnny Cade, dies. Rated T just in case
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer- I don't own The Outsiders **

** The stars with lines means time has passed**

**Life After Death **

Chapter One

"Dally! Dally!" I screamed shaking the still body. "Dally please wake up! Please!" I could feel the tear running down my cheeks as I held onto him. I felt hands trying to pull me off of him. As they pulled me away I grabbed Dallas's shirt front so he would come up with me.

"Ponyboy," my older brother, Darry said with a glare, but I could see not only warning in his eyes but, sorrow also. "Put Dallas down, Ponyboy. The police need to take his body away." I hesitated for a second then gently put him down on the ground. Soon after I put him down, the police took the body that belonged to one of my best friends.

"We're gonna bury him. Right, Darry?" I asked uncertain.

"Of course, Ponyboy." Darry said wiping away the last few tears I had. By the time I was able to stand up without shaking so bad the police had already taken their cars with Dally and left to let Dallas's loved ones mourn his death. I know that I've said that out of all my friends he was my least favorite a million times. He was still my friend no matter what though, and he didn't deserve to die. After all he did give Johnny and I the hiding spot.

"Well," Two-Bit said, "Steve and I better get going." I couldn't tell if it was just me, but it looked like Two-Bit had been crying. Not once in my life had I seen him cry. He was to high on life or tough to cry. This must have really hurt him.

"Alright Two-Bit, Steve. Take care and have a good night." Darry called as Two-Bit and Steve were leaving.

"Okay, Ponyboy. We need to get you home so we can go to bed." my other older brother, Sodapop, said. Darry thinks he babys me to much. He's just trying to look after me ever since mom and dad died. I know Darry loves me. He just shows it funny. He just wants me to get good grades and be tough. Not drop out like Soda did and get a scholarship. He has a lot on his shoulders to take care of. Trying not to lose Soda and me, paying the bills, making sure I'm doing well in school. Those were just some of the things. Right now I don't think he cared if he babied me. For that was the night Dallas Winston died.

It's been a week after that night and I haven't been talking much. There was no point to life or talking without a best friend by your side. Everyone would stare at me like I am an animal in a cage at the zoo. Or I would hear their whispers when I walk down the school hallways. I had to hurry or I'll be late to class. It wouldn't be the first time this week.

I made it just as the bell rang. I got in my seat and started zoning out as soon as Mr. Syme started teaching. What is wrong with me? I usually never zone out in class! I'm also a straight A student but lately they haven't been A's . All of this can't be from Johnny's and Dallas's deaths. When my parents died I was still top in my classes and always paid attention. Pretty soon I was zoning out of my lecture to myself and was looking somewhere else.

I'm looking at the empty seat beside me. The boy who sat there had died the same night Dallas died. He was the reason Dallas was taking the money from the store clerk. Dallas had stolen it out of shock. The boy who died was Dallas's best friend. The boy who sat there in the empty seat was named Johnny Cade. We had gone through everything together. Tears,sweat, blood. Everything. He died bravely though. He went through a fire to save a bunch of children having a picnic at this church that Johnny and I were hiding at on Jay Mountain. The hiding spot Dallas gave us.

We had to hide there because he was trying to be a good friend. He killed this guy that tried to drown me for talking to his girlfriend. He had been jumped by the same kids. The same kids that gave him the scar on his face. Everyone wonders why Johnny is so jumpy. I bet they hadn't been jumped like Johnny had. Johnny and I were going out to get some hamburgers with Dally because we hadn't had some decent food since we first started hiding there. When we came back from Dairy Queen there was the old church. Burst in flames. Everyone screaming. Little kids crying. It was the worst sight I had ever seen other than when Johnny got burned and the way Dallas died.

"Ponyboy! Would you like to answer this question for the class?" Mr. Syme said.

Everyone's eyes were on me. Gosh, I hate when that happens. "..Er..." I said, unsure of the question he was referring to. I was to busy thinking of the past.

"Exactly. I would feel much better if you'd pay attention to my teaching."

_ RIIING!_

"Okay class, don't forget to do your English homework tonight." No one heard the teacher though, everyone was to busy making plans for the rest of the day.

"Hey, Pony," Sodapop said as I walked into the DX. "How would you like to go see a movie with me and the guys later on today?" Steve glared at me. He hates it when Sodapop invites me to things.

"Sorry, Soda. I have to go to the library tonight. I need peace and quiet." Sodapop looked confused. "Homework." I said raising the book we were supposed to read to prove my point. "And why are you going to a movie? You can never sit still through those."

"So? C'mon. You can do whatever you were gonna do later on tonight. It'll be fun. I promise."

"Alright." I said. He knows I hate going to movies after what happened to Johnny. That's where all the drama started with Cherry Valence and Bob Sheldon. I guess, Soda just has a way with words that would get you to do anything. Or just wanted me to get over his death. Oh well. Who knows, maybe I will have fun there.


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't own The Outsiders. **

**The stars with lines means time has passed. **

** Life After Death**

Chapter 2

It was six o'clock and the movie we were going to see started in a half hour.

"You ready to go, Ponyboy?" Soda asked me.

"Just about. Let me tie my shoe real quick."

So Steve, Two-Bit, Soda, and I set out to the the theater.

"Okay," I said as we sneaked through this opening in the fence so we didn't have to pay. We still had some time to kill before the movie started. "We have, like, a half an hour to do something." right as I said that, these girls came and sat right in front of us. They started laughing and talking loudly. The guys assumed they wanted their attention so they started talking to them. A few minutes later, I was sitting all by myself in the row behind the guys and the girls they were flirting with.

"Guys, I'm going to go get a drink and something to eat. You want anything?"

"I'd like a drink." Two-Bit said, handing me change. "Get these nice ladies something to." The girls giggled furiously. Two-Bit smiled at them then gave me a wink.

"Hey, Ponyboy, let me go with you. I can help carry some of the stuff." Sodapop said.

"Alright." I said kinda shocked. I couldn't believe my ears. Soda usually never helps with anything.

"I can't stand another second of that giggling madness." Soda told me. "All they were talking about is if the lip gloss looked good on them or something. Even Steve was getting in on it! I couldn't care less about it."

"Really?" I asked. "Seemed like you were having fun from where I was sitting."

"It was torture!" By then we were back and we passed out the snacks and drinks. Soda decided to sit up with me so he didn't have to go through the 'torture' again. Within five minutes of being up there, I could see him starting to get jumpy.

"You don't have to sit up here with me. Johnny and I will-" I stopped in mid-sentence. I realized I just said Johnny. Memories came back. I remembered the reason why I hated going to the movie theater. Tears started to blur my vision. I heard Soda ask something but I didn't hear. I was to busy thinking of the last time I was here. The last time I heard Johnny laugh. Last time I saw Dally without having cops by him or him being serious. Seeing Johnny's beat up face. Two-Bit scaring him. Cherry Valence. Cherry. If only I hadn't asked her to walk home with us. Johnny would be alive. Dally would be alive. Bob would be alive. Then the biggest thing hit me. This really was my fault. It was all my fault no one else did this. No one else asked if the girls wanted to walk home with us. It was my fault they died.

I felt some one shaking me. I realized I had been crying hard enough to get everyone's attention. Everyone was staring at me like I was some sort of freak show. Well I deserved to be stared at like one. I killed Johnny Cade and Dallas Winston.

"Are you alright, Ponyoy?" Soda asked.

I nodded my head yes before mumbling "I have to go." while wiping away the tears I had left. I needed to go somewhere where no one could see me cry or where I can be alone and draw or do something that would keep my thoughts away from everything. A place that has no worries. My first option would be the park. But, that would make things worse. That was one place I vowed to myself I would never go back. So it looks like I'm just going to have to find somewhere new.

I'll go to this one place I found while running around trying too find something to do. It had a great view of a lake and had all these trees with chestnuts on them. I haven't been there in so long. I can't believe I almost forgot about it. I go there when I need to think or just relax. Right now, I needed both.

I need to go home and get paper, pencils, a blanket, it might get cold, I thought. And a book to read if I get bored. I thought as I checked of each one on my fingers while I was using my mental check list. I ran home as fast as I could. I was home within minutes.

"Dally," I said "I'm gonna be gone for a while so don't worry. Okay?" when he didn't reply right away I searched the house for him. He wasn't home. That's weird. Oh well. I'll just leave a note. I wrote the note and left it on the table. I grabbed the stuff from my mental checklist and put them in a plastic grocery bag then hurried out the door. While I was walking I saw the guys with those girls they were with. I stopped for a while to watch them laugh and flirt with each other. Soda looked in my direction and I didn't look away. I was waiting for him to tell everyone that I was right there. Going to my hiding spot. He didn't though. I guess he could tell I wanted to be alone for a while. Well I looked in the direction I was headed and started walking. It wouldn't be a long walk. I thought. While I was walking I thought of the good days. With Johnny and I playing football with Dally, Soda, and everyone else.

By the time I got there, I was crying. I brushed away the tears and looked up at the sky. The stars were out and looked amazing. Johnny and Dally are one of those stars now, I thought. I got out my pencil and paper and got to work on the picture. A wind came that tried to blow away the paper and make me shiver. So I grabbed the blanket and continued drawing.

After about thirty minutes, I decided it was getting late and that Darry would be home along with Soda. I packed everything up and headed home. I took my time going back. I really didn't feel like talking or explaining where I went. Or why I was crying to Darry. I'm not much of an open book. I like to keep things to myself. The world would be better off without people knowing how I felt. Another breeze blew by. I shivered slightly and headed for home, faster this time.


End file.
